Parachute



June 7,1927. 1,631,766

' J. M. RUSSELL PARACHUTE Filed Feb. 1'7. 1926 f 2 Sheets-Shea?l 1 1,631,766 June 7 *1927 J. M. RUSSELL PARACHUTE Filed Feb. 17. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 parachute of this character which is pro`' Patented June l 7, .1927.

UNITED STATES l JAMES M. RSSELL, OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO HERBERT R.

PATENT OFFICE. L

MUCLIN- TOOK, OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

rAnAcnUx-E.

Application filed February 17, 1926. Serial No. 88,851.v

This invention relates to landing apparatus for aeronauts, and has for its object the provision of a parachute which will be positive in opening, shock absorbing at high speed, and which will make use of the sustaining surface in an efiicient manner.

A further object is the provision of a parachute which will be exceedingly stable and which is provided with means for preventing or damping oscillation, andfree from the objectionable breathing which is apparent in present day parachutes.

A further object is the provision of .a

vided with an outer rim or lobe,- which is sensitive to differences in pressure, to prevent the instantaneous full opening of the parachute at exceedingly high speeds, vbut which will insure the full opening of the parachute as soorr as the speed of falling has been decreased toslch a value as desirable.

A further object of lthe invention is the provision of means by which theparachutev may be controlledv and the direction of descent governed-manually without materially impairing the efficiency and without causing undue oscillation of the falling aeronaut.

A further object of the invention is the provision of scoops provided at the vrim of the parachute so that they will catch vair and guide the air into the parachute and insure its opening regardless of suspension elements. y A

In conventional parachutes of the present day construction the canopy assumes the shape of an inverted bowl. The lines .being attached to. the outer edgeor periphery of the canopy pulls the periphery toward the center, causing a muc smaller effective diameter vby not allowing the periphery to ex tend itself as much as if the load were more evenly distributed over the lentire canopy. This shape." causes the-parachute to be very unstable since it readily spills the air at its outer edge. It also has the objection of what is known as breathing, due to the alternate expansion to its limit, spilling the air at its outer edge, decreasing in diameter, increasing its speed and then expanding to its limit again and decreasing its speed, due to its greater diameter. 'These various steps take lace successively and are exceedingly objectionable. l

At very high speeds the vent or center hole in the canopy used in present 'day construct'wists in the chute.

'tion cannot be large enough to permit the parachute to open gradually as the air would exhaust at the vent as fast as it entered at the bottom. A small vent and strong construction cannot be used at high speeds since the fabric is not strong enough to sustain the shock of opening at high speeds, and the instantaneous decrease in speed which this causes.

Present day parachutes are quite difficult to steer and are slow to respond, and often start to oscillate as soon as al1-attempt at steering is made. Oscillation in 'descent is a very bad fault, oftenI resulting in injury to the parachutist. This lateral and longitudinal instability also causes the parachute toy descend at a much faster rate for a 'ven diameter and a given amount of sustaining surface, than if the parachute Were `inherent- 41y stable.

This invention `therefore has as its objects in, the present day construction. f Various other objects and advantages of my invention will be more fully set forth in the following description andv in the drawings, in which Fig. l is a plan in the air. v

Fig'. l2 'is' a central vertical section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a bottom' view of the open paraview of the parachute open Fig. 4 vis a detailed view showing one of thepanels of the canopy and its method of attachment to the bottom ring.

Fig. 5 is al cent-ral section through the j parachute, as the parachute starts to open.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the parachute as it starts to open.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation showing the parachute about one-half o en, and

Fig. 8 is a side elevation showin Athe arachute fully opened and showing t e lo e at the right partially deflated to steer the parachute.

Referring more particularly to the drawy ings by reference numerals, the canopy or supporting surface of the parachute cornprises the central upper surface 1v and the outer rim orlobe 2. The canopy is formed of a number ofy radially arranged panels 3f' having a shape as shown in Fig. 4, these panels being attached together by means of seams along the lines 4 and 5.

Each panel is made up of a number of sections of suitable material indicated at 6, 7, 8 and 9, joined together along the seams 10, the material preferably arranged on the bias with the bias of the fabric in adjacent panels at an angle to maintain a taut construction.

The outer edges 11A of the various panels are attached lo a band or ring l2 of flexible material, and a fullness is provided in the Fig. 2 when open.

spension cables 15 ot' any suitable number are attached in any desired manner at their lower ends 23 to t-he weight or load, or the suspension harness of the aeronaut. These cables 15 are attached at points 16 to l the band or ring 12 and to the edges of the panel pieces. The cables then extend upwardly to oints 17 where they enter the seams by W ich the anels are attached together. The suspension cables then extend down the seamsto the central a `Jx of the canopy 18. 1t will be noted.r from igs. 2 and 4 that the ldistance between the points 16 and 17 along the panel seam is tar greater y than the distance of the suspension cables between the points 16 and 17, and the parachute is thus caused to assume the shape when fully opened as .indicated in Fig. 2. The outer lobe 2 of the parachute, not being coniined by the cable load, is bellied out by the air in a lateral direction, and the upper central portion 1 of the cano y assumes a slightly spherical shape, but t is curvature is far flatter than the bowl shape assumed by parachutes constructed in accordance with prior desi s.

Attached to t e central portion of the lobe 2 at preferably four equidistant points around the outer portion of the parachute,

are control cords 19, 20, 21 and 22. These control cords are not attached to the edges of the panels at the points 16, but extend down to the point 23, where they are controlled by the aviator. V

Figs. 5 .and 6 show thc parachute starting to open at high s eed. The scoops 24 rovided by reason o? the fullness in the e ges of the panel pieces, and the form defining ,band 12, insure the admission of air into the interior of the parachute regardless of any twistin or entarrglement of the shroud lines or cab es 15. e band 12 is preferably .made of fabric having more body than the sustaining canopy itself, and -is circularly l the side walls of the center portion l. 'lhc external pressure acting upon the sith` of the lobe 2, is less than but. comparable to the internal pressure, and'consequently the external pressure tends to prevent a loo rapid expansion of the lobe 2. This allows the gradual opening of the canopy. "llie lobe extends itself only as the speed is reduced by the drag of the canopy. The reduction in speed and consequent lessening of externalpressure allows the internal pressure to orce thc canopy to a more extended post tion.

Fig. 7 shows the canopy about one-hall open: the external pressure duc to the rapid tall oi the parachute exerting a force indicated by the arrows bg-the scoops assuming a more horizontal position; the internal pressure forcing the lobe to extend itseltl radially in the direction of arrows c: the center portion 1 being urthered in' its expansion by the lobe at slow speeds but held 'to some extent at high speeds.

As the speed decreases still further the parachute assumes the full open position indicated in Figs. 2 and 8. In this positionl thc side area of the lobe is much greater than the bottom area of the lobe.' The side wall area of the lobe thus has a resistance tending to hold it to center and the internal pressure tending to force the entire canopy to a full open position is oi a certain torce. 'llhese two forces are therefore balanced in any desired ratio to secure the proper slowness of opening at high speeds. This ratio may be varied in the construction of the parachute by varying the side wall area or vertical depth of the lobe by properly ositioning the point of attachment 17 o the cables to the canopy.

l Atmospheric disturbances tending to cause oscillation are automatically damped out in their inception as a result of the outer lobe lllll los of the canopy not being confined by the line load and overned by the pressure acting upon it. I for exam le` the point 23 in Fig. 2 moves to the left, the lobe at the right ot' the parachute by reason of the vertical pressure of the'external air exerts the back drag upon the suspension lines and lags behind in its movement to follow the movement of point 23. Point 23 in its return to the right has the back drag of the lobe at the left of the figure 4which is increased by the e'cct ot the-lobe at the right which has then started to move to follow the movements of point 23. The vertical pressure u on the under surface of the lobe, together with the drag upon its upper surface, causes the lobe to assume the dihedral angle as shown. This angle, together with the tendency of the lobe to lag in oscillation permits of a steady descent, the circular lobe acting asa stabilizer to the center .portion of the load sustaining canopy. The internal pressure acting upon the lobe causes the center portion l ofV the canopy to flatten out, and the lobe not being held towards the center by the line load, reaches its maximum horizontal-diameter. The result is a very eiiicient parachute, as the open -diameter of effective area of this parachute isslightly more than the present day construction, while my parachute provides a top drag considerably in yexcess of lthat found in present day construction. For the same amountof fabric as used in conventional types of parachutes, but with far less shroud line, a far more'efiicient and stable parachute maybe constructed with my invention than those hitherto made. l

The canopy is not"tilted directly by the parachutist, but .through a'slight edort on his part in pulling upon the -various control cords 19, 20, 21 or 22, he collases a portion of the lobe to spill the air rom it. The

pull upon the control cords is in a generally `inward direction and the collapsing of a portionvof the lobe is aided by the vertical upward pressure upon surface of the lobe. The parachutist has merely to overcome the pressure acting upon the portion of the lobe whichis collapsing and not the entire canopy. As the result ofthe collapsing of the right hand portion of the lobe 2, see Fig. 8, the right hand portion of the canopy has less resistance and the `entire canopy tilts as shown, due to .the unequal pressure distribution.

1t is to be understood that the 'construction shown in the accompanying drawings can be varied to some extent without departing'from the spirit or scope ofthis invention, it being the purpose of this disclosure to generally depict one method of construction for purposes of illustration.

l claim:

1. A parachute having an upper supporting surface and an outer continuation for said surface extending downwardly and inwardly therefrom, and means to directly interconnect the upper andlower portions of said continuation.

2. Av parachute having an upper supportling surface which is generally fiat and a downwardly and inwardly curved continuation therefor forming substantially a lower surface spaced below the said upper surface when in operation, and means for maintaining the shape of said continuation so that it extends downwardly and inwardly from said Aupper supporting surface.

8. A parachute having an upper central lload sustaining surface, and an outer porthe under and outerv tion curving downwardly and inwardly from said surface, and means for normally mamtaining said outer port-ion curving down' wardly and inwardly from said load sustaining surface so as to form a peripheral lobed deformable rim sensitive to differences 1n pressure within and,without the said outer portion to determine its shape.

AVA parachute canopy having a central load sustaining portion and outer periph'- eral portion, and load sustaining lines attache-d to said central portion and extending downwardly and attached to the edge of the peripheral portion, the distance along the parachute canopy.. along radial lines between the said points of attachment being much greater .than the length of the said load sustaining lilies between said pointsl of attachment. i y l .5. A parachute having anupper supportb'll ing surface and an outer continuation for l said surface extending downwardly and inwardly therefrom and means in sald outer y continuation to induce air to enter said outer continuation. l l

6. A parachute comprising a fabric load sustaining portion, and an outer vfabric lobe for inherently and automatically maintaining stability in descent, and means for normally maintaining the shape of the lower part of said lobe sothat it curves inwardly and downwardly to a substantial ydegree when in operation.

Utl

7. In a parachute, in combination, a central load .sustaining fabric portion, load supporting lines attached thereto, a peripheral portion, and meansto manually control' Said peripheral portion between the sustaining fabric portion and the outer rim to control the parachute;

lll() 8. A parachute comprising a canopy' and suspension elements attached to the canopy at the rim and at points inwardly removed lfrom the rim portion, the length of the suspension element between said points of attachment being substantially less lthan the length of the canopy between said points so .as to provide a downwardly and inwardly extending rim portion.

9. A parachute having a canopy formed of radial'fabric sections shaped to provide a downwardly and inwardly extending rim portion, ythe rim edge of each section having substantially less width than the maximum width thereof.

10. A parachute comprising a central load sustaining portion and a downwardly and inwardly extending rim portion, and a series of load suspension elements attached tothe edge of the rim portion and extending substantially vertically from the Said edge to the central load sustaining portion to provide an outer lobe in the parachute between the points of attachment of the load suspension elements.

sustaining portion an 11. A parachute com rising a central load a. downwardly and inwardly extending rim portion, and a series ot' load suspension elements attached to the edgeI of the rim ortion and extending substantiallyv vertically to the central load sustaining portion to provide anl outer lobe in the parachute between .the points of attachment. ot' the load suspension elements, and means for deflating a portion of the lobe to spill the air from said portion.

l2. A parachute com rising a central load sustaining portion an adownwardly and inwardly extending rim portion, and a series of load suspension elements attached to the edge of the rim portion and extending substantially vertically to the central load sustaining portion to provide an outer lobe outer lobe in the parachute between the points oit attachment ot the load suspension elements, and a band ot material to which the edge ot the rim portion is attached to deiine an' opening in the bottom ot the parachute, oi" a diameter substantially less than the 'maximum diameter of the parachute.

le. A parachute comprising a continuous central load sustaining portion and a downwardly and inwardly extending rim portion, and a series ot load suspension elements attached to the edge oft the rim ortion and ex- I. tending substantially vertice y to the centra] load sustaining portion to provide an outer lobe in the parachute between the points of attachment of the load suspension elements, and a band of material to which tion at the point of attachment.

l5. A parachute comprising a central load sustaining portion and a downwardly and inwardly extending rim portion, and a series of load Asuspension elements attached to the edge of the rim portion and extending substantially vertically to the central load sustaining portion to provide an outer lobe in the parachute between Vthe oints of attachment ot the load Vsuspension elements, and meansat the rim portion to induce air to enter the parachute. i

v16. A parachute comprising a series of radial panels attached together by radial seams to provide a central load sustaining portion and a downwardly and inwardly extending rim portion, a series of suspension cables attached at the edge of the panels at the seams and extending upwardly` to the central load sustaining portion to provide an outer lobe in the arachute, an annular reinforcing ring to w ich the edges ot the panels are attached of a diameter substantially less than the maximum diameter of the parachute, said panels being attached to said ring with a tulness in the edges ot` the panels to cause air to enter the lobe and open the parachute, and a Series of control cords attached to intermediate portions ot the lobe to permit the manual control ot the path ozt descent.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand this 8th day of February, 1926.

J AMES M. RUSSELL. 

